Through Space and Time...

Recently posting the Mohs SafariKar in a "Guess That Car" thread on Car & Driver Backfires, someone pointed out it's similarity (with the door open) to the Mini Rocketman concept - two cars featured on this site. And - amazingly - they do look remarkably similar exposing themselves. Proving that bad idea also withstand the test of time.

2010 Fuglies

Here they are – the first annual Fuglies: a recap of the last year of who gained the most traffic on my blog. “Congratulations” to the losers winners.

Gold Nissan Juke

The gold winner this year is the Nissan Juke, which blew away all other contenders. Nissan Juke pageviews accounted for a whopping 7.2% of the total pageviews for the site, and it also garnered the most traffic via internet searchs, with related keywords accounting for 18.7% of incoming traffic. Easily one of the most controversial new car releases of the year, apparently the little “SUV” actually drives quite nice. A shame that it’s wrapped in metal not everyone can enjoy.

Silver Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan

The Mohs Opera Sedan (I give up trying to type Ostentatienne any more) deservedly gains the second place spot, with 3.2% of all pageviews for the year. I was a bit surprised by this as it’s a relatively obscure car, but it’s been made more well known recently when some high school students restored one in an auto body class in 2009.

Bronze Mitsuoka Galue

Trailing the Opera Sedan slightly with 3.1% of total pageviews, the Mitsuoka Galue takes bronze. Mitsuoka is gaining popularity on the internet due to it’s bizarre creations, so this one was no surprise. Also worth noting is that it received the second most hits via the internet search, with related keywords accounting for 10.6% of traffic.

Other worthy contenders worthy mentioning are listed below

Here’s the top 10 for pageviews:

1. Nissan Juke – 7.2%
2. Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan – 3.2%
3. Mitsuoka Galue – 3.1%
4. Ferrari 456 Venice Convertible – 1.9%
5. Donfeng h30 – 1.6% (*this is most likely a statistical abnormality – most of the pageviews were from people looking for rear-view pictures of the Hyundai Elantra Touring, which must be rear on the internet).
6. Easy Rods Thunderbird – 0.8%
7. Lamborghini Coatl – 0.75%
8. Sbarro Windhawk - 0.7%
9. Mohs SafariKar – 0.5%
10. Fenice Milano Rolls Royce – 0.4%

Here’s the top 5 for keyword search results:

1. Nissan Juke – 18.7%
2. Mitsuoka Galue – 10.6%
3. Sbarro Windhawk – 2.6%
4. Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan – 2.1%
5. Lamborghini Coatl – 1.1%

Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan

Yes, the title of this is actually the name of the car featured. I've covered this car's successor before, but I hadn't really come across good pictures of the original Mohs creation until recently.

The main difference visually from that of the SafariKar covered previously is that it's NOT covered in pleather. Overall the look is somehow better but worse - it's front end is marginally better due to the fact that the body isn't as tall, but the combo of the huge wheels and the equally tall, Pacer-like fishbowl of a greenhouse give the car a kind of toy car appearance.

Another noticeable change is it's complete lack of doors. The sole entry is through a hatch in the rear - kind of a reverse Isetta. So I guess you'd have to pray no one rear ends you. The reasoning behind this was actually safety - huge steel side rails ran the length of the car to protect the occupant in the event of a side-on collision. Which I suppose is a threat due to the fact that the styling may blind oncoming traffic.

Powered by an ever-so-refined International Harvester truck engine, the car offered fewer out-there interior features than the SafariKar, but you could order one with a refrigerator and Ming style oriental rugs. Prices ranged from $19,600 to $25,600 - in 1967.

SafuglyKar

Where to start…

Bruce Mohs began making cars after forming the Mohs Seaplace Corporation. This - the "SafariKar" is actually his SECOND car, the first being another feature when I can find a good pic of it due to it being equally scarey.

The “SafariKar” is apparently his vision of a luxury off road vehicle. It’s metal top folded into the trunk, and had two huge minivan-like sliding doors. Because of it’s massive width it could seat up to eight – 3 BUCKET seats up front, a 3 person bench and 2 fold up seats for “temporary use in parades”. It's sorta the original Hummer I guess, except it wasn't designed for the army but for scaring small children.

If all this weren’t fugly enough, it’s exterior was coated in black Naugahyde. Yes - Pleather. Cause you know that woody wagons of the 70’s were so tacky. The brochure notes that "the Mohs body construction method utilizing cast Tenzalloy bulkheads, heavy-gauge aluminum sheet, polyurethane foam and Naugahyde covering is not only quiet in the extreme, but low in maintenance since there is no paint on the exterior of the car. You merely wet, wipe and dry for cleaning. No waxing. No polishing." I’m sure it’s owners (all 3 of them) found this very efficient if they ever got into an accident. Anyone know a good Naughyde guy?

I guess styling is partially inspired by Rolls Royce due to the massive grille, although this car just looks plain creepy up front with the glassed in headlights. This car is truly huge – those wheels are actually 20 inchers.

Interior features were just as odd - a refrigerator, a 2-way radio with a pair of base stations for home or office, a gold-inlaid Walnut instrument panel, velvet upholstery, Ming Dynasty carpeting, a 110-volt converter, and a butane furnace. This helped contribute to it’s slightly heavy weight of up to 6,100 Ibs. All this “Klass” is a bit expensive - $25,600 in the early to mid-1970s.